As he looks to return the Golden Panthers back to the prominence that they enjoyed two decades ago, Arena is optimistic that they'll have success in 2013.

"We’ll have significant improvement, but the game is not played on paper. We still have a lot of work to do. There’s still over half the team that I haven’t been able to work with," said Arena. "College soccer is a bit funky because we only have two weeks of preseason, I haven’t worked with half the team, and we’ve got two weeks of preseason before our first game. I know that I’ve got to be patient and bring the group along in the right way and that’s always going to be the case in college. You’re going to have a lot of turnover every year and I’ll just have to handle that."

MIAMI— The LA Galaxy wrapped up their week-long training camp in Miami on Friday with their final practice at Florida International University before heading to Frisco, Texas to take on FC Dallas.

The week has been a valuable one for LA who faced off against Italian giants AC Milan on Wednesday and trained for three days FIU.

But what specifically did the team gain from their week in Miami?

LANDON DONOVAN: “The most important thing is building camaraderie. It’s been just a chance to get together in the middle of the season and sort of regroup. The games were good, but I think that most importantly, just having the chance to hang out together get to know each other a bit better. It’ll help us.”

MARCELO SARVAS: “We learned a lot when we played against the biggest team, but it was also important that the team spent time together as one. We spent time together at dinner or wherever, and it allows you to feel more partnership with the guys that you play with.”

SEAN FRANKLIN: “We’ve played against some of the top teams in the world and it was a good experience for us. We’ve seen the way those teams play simple and how each guy is helping one another, and how they play defensively. Maybe we can implement that in our game.”

BRUCE ARENA: “I don’t know. Hopefully, the experience against Milan and spending time together as a team is important and hopefully, that translates to something positive on Sunday night in Dallas. We’ll just see.”

MIAMI – The LA Galaxy welcomed a new face during their week-long training session in Miami, no, not new Panamanian goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, but Florida International University midfielder Roberto Alterio.

A junior transfer from the University of South Florida, the midfielder spent time in the Caracas F.C youth system and has seen time for the Venezuelan U-17’s before heading to school in the United States. For the college player, the chance to train alongside Robbie Keane, Landon Donovan and Omar Gonzalez was a valuable on.

“It was a big experience to be training with these types of players, who have played all around the world,” said Alterio. “It was a wonderful experience for me.”

Alterio is expected to be one of the standouts for Kenny Arena’s FIU squad this season as the Golden Panthers attempt to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004.

“He is one of our better players. He was here for summer school, so it just happened to be the way it worked out. I would have loved to have my entire team train with them,” said Kenny Arena. “It just worked out that he was the one that everything fell into place for to be here at the start of the week.”

The LA Galaxy announced the complete roster for the team's annual Alumni Night on Aug. 17.

The night will honor the LA Galaxy's 1996 team that played in the inaugural season in MLS. To truly get in the spirit, the Galaxy alums will be wearing LA's new 1996-inspired third kit for their match against the Under-18's, which will be worn for the first time by the first team later that night when they take on Real Salt Lake.

Cartaginés earned a 4-2 victory against Isidro Metapan on Thursday in a battle of the LA Galaxy’s CONCACAF Champions’ League Group 8 opponents.

Costa Rican international Pablo Herrera led the way for Los Brumosos with three goals while Andre Flores added a fourth in the victory. The Salvadorans got on the board through an own goal by defender Esteban Sirias and a goal by Panamanian forward Nicolas Muñoz.

The game took place at the Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador, El Salvador as Metapan were unable to host the match at their home field of the Estadio Jorge Calero Suarez due to field concerns.

LA open the CCL on Aug. 20 against the Costa Rican side at StubHub Center.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Jaime Penedo made his LA Galaxy debut on Wednesday as he made two saves in LA’s 2-0 defeat to AC Milan, but the Panamanian international was almost unable to play against the Italians side.

As the Galaxy prepared to face AC Milan, Penedo’s International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa paperwork had not yet arrived meaning that he would be ineligible to participate. However, with just minutes to spare, the Galaxy and Penedo received the green light.

Even though the chance to a debut for a new club is typically a nerve-racking experience, Penedo believes that the chaotic precursor to his first appearance may have calmed any lingering anxiety.

“We were awaiting one last document to arrive, it came in with about 20 minutes to spare. I didn’t think that I was going to be able to play. Bruce said that if the document came in then I would be able to play 45 minutes, but the window was quickly closing. I think that’s why I was so calm,” said Penedo. “Perhaps, if I knew I’d be playing, I would have been a little more nervous, but no; I think nerves are always a good thing. I think if I weren’t nervous before a game, then I think that my head wouldn’t be in the game.”

With the Galaxy receiving his documents on Wednesday, the 31-year-old Panamanian ‘keeper is now available to play for the Galaxy in MLS Regular Season action and in the CONCACAF Champions League.

Against the Italian giants, Penedo performed well as he made a pair of saves and drew the praises of Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena. However, the 45 minute second half shift was not without a few difficulties as the Spanish-speaking Penedo admitted to some difficulties communicating with his new teammates.

“I wanted to say a lot of things, but the words weren’t coming out correctly,” said Penedo. “It complicates things a little, but it’ll get easier as time goes on.”

Following the defeat to Milan, Arena admitted that the Galaxy had not yet chosen a starting goalkeeper for their game against FC Dallas on Sunday, but Penedo is not concerned with such matters just yet.

“I’m very happy. I think God that I can be here. I think that everything will end perfectly,” said Penedo. “I hope to work hard and contribute to the team, which is what I want most.”

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena believes that the Guinness International Champions Cup has a future in the United States.

The Galaxy concluded their participation in the exhibition tournament’s inaugural edition on Thursday with a fourth place finish after a 2-0 defeat to AC Milan. Over the two week competition, LA—who was the only MLS club to participate—tested themselves against the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and Milan, and came out with a 1-2-0 record.

Before he turned his focus to Sunday’s MLS match against FC Dallas, Arena admitted that the tournament should be here to stay.

“I think so. I think in the United States it has been demonstrated for more than 20 years now that we have fans of European football, no question about it. And they want to see these great team and great players, and they come out in great numbers,” said Arena. “You can’t argue that. Tonight I think they are going to have 65,000 people here [They actually had 67,273 for the championship match]. I think it’s a tournament that could have a great future in this country.”

As the tournament continues to grow and bring different European powers to the U.S., the Galaxy boss believes that it is paramount for MLS clubs to continue to participate.

“I think it was a great, great opportunity for us, and for a tournament like this you should have American teams playing,” he said.

The LA Galaxy wrapped up the Guinness International Champions Cup on Wednesday with a 2-0 defeat to Italian giants AC Milan to seal a fourth place finish for LA in the exhibition tournament.

Despite the Galaxy getting the better of the play in the early stages of the game, Milan was in the driver's seat for much of the match as Mario Balotelli and Mbaye Niang scored for the Rossoneri. LA's best chance to score came in the seventh minute when Landon Donovan fired a chance at net just wide.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Former AC Milan product Carlo Cudicini got a chance to take on his old club on Wednesday as he started in goal for the LA Galaxy and went 45 minutes in their 2-0 defeat to Milan in the Guinness International Champions Cup Third Place game.

The former Rossoneri goalkeeper was under constant pressure from his old club as Milan dominated the match for wide stretches of the game. Despite allowing two goals, Cudicini stood tall and made several big saves as he stopped a Mario Balotelli free kick in the 11th minute to keep the match scoreless and then denied a Stephen El Shaarawy attempt in the 26th minute.

Although Balotelli and M'Baye Niang both found the back of the net for Milan to seal the victory, Cudicini admits that it was an exciting experience to play against his former team.

“It’s always nice to see some old friends and Milan is my team, so it’s always good to play against them,” said Cudicini. “Red and Black are my colors, so it’s nice to see some old friends and play them.”

Now that the fun and games of the ICC is complete, the Galaxy return to league play on Sunday against FC Dallas. With the lessons learned in the ICC in the back of their mind, Cudicini hopes that the team can build on their experiences.

“We had a great tournament and we played against great players and great clubs, now we have to focus on the league,” said Cudicini. “Sunday is a very important game.”